New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 19th-century artwork by French artist Edgar Degas will be handed back to the French government Friday -- nearly four decades after it was stolen .

The painting , `` Blanchisseuses souffrant des dent '' -LRB- `` Laundry Women with Toothache , '' -RRB- was taken in 1973 from the Malraux Museum in Le Havre , in Normandy , France , the U.S. District Attorney in Eastern New York said .

It had been on loan from the French government , which considers the painting a national treasure .

The piece did not resurface until October this year when it appeared in a catalog from the auction house Sotheby 's , it said .

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the French government will take part in a repatriation ceremony at 1 p.m. at the French ambassador 's residence in Washington D.C. to return the painting .

U.S. customs officials , working with authorities from INTERPOL , said the painting was consigned to French art collector Ronald Grelsamer .

Grelsamer said his father gave him the painting as a gift , but was unaware that it was stolen , the statement said .

Sotheby 's said they had nothing indicating that the painting was stolen , saying it did not appear in any of its lost art databases , said company spokeswoman Diana Phillips .

The auction house had a longstanding relationship with Grelsamer without incident , she added .

`` Sotheby 's is happy to have been able to be involved in this discovery , and we are pleased that this painting will be returned to the government of France , '' Phillips said .

The U.S. District Attorney office says that Greslamer intends to seek compensation for the painting .

`` The return of this masterpiece to the French government reflects our commitment to ensure the return of stolen artwork and cultural patrimony , '' it said in a written statement .

The 6.25-inch-by-8 .5 - inch piece -- painted between 1870 and 1872 -- has an estimated value of $ 350,000 to $ 450,000 , the statement said , quoting the company catalogue .

The painting reflects a break from the academic focus of Degas ' early years when he dedicated himself to the `` search for the essence of modern life , '' said Sotheby 's spokeswoman Lauren Gioai .

`` The 1870s gave rise to some of Degas most celebrated works , '' she said .

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19th-century painting will be returned to France almost four decades after it was stolen

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`` Blanchisseuses souffrant des dent '' was taken in 1973 from the Malraux Museum

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The painting did not resurface until October when it surfaced on Sotheby 's catalog